Abstract
As a science, psychology experiences paradoxical condition. There is indeed a recognition that its applications in the educational, clinical, and industrial fields have proliferated extensively in Indonesia. However, there are criticisms that 1) psychology mimics natural science epistemology, 2) the identity of Indonesian Psychology is still in the “status quo”, 3) its role in designing social change is minimal (e.g. “Mental Revolution” movement in Indonesia is considered to be more influenced by Sociology rather than Psychology proponents), 4) psychology tends to prioritize the well-being of the elite (socially-economically) of society, not the poorest. This study used a qualitative descriptive approach to explore the social representation on the perceptions of university students about the contribution of psychology in inspiring them to create social change. Participants of this study were 104 Psychology students (28 males, 76 females; 101 undergraduate, 3 graduate students) in Jakarta, Banten, Westand Central Java, Indonesia. We asked them a) the reason for choosing Psychology study program, b) the meaning of social change, c) the psychological courses associated with social change, d) the social problems urgent to be managed by psychology, and e) what their own plans are in making the change. Generality and uniqueness of the participants’ answers will be discussed so as to generate suggestions for psychology curriculum development that is more contextual, innovative, and empowering in Indonesia.
Highlights
We asked them a) the reason for choosing Psychology study program, b) the meaning of social change, c) the psychological courses associated with social change, d) the social problems urgent to be managed by psychology, and e) what their own plans are in making the change
To know how students refer to psychology curriculum in representing ideas of social changes, the authors analyzed three topics: First, their perception of social changes initiated by psychology; Second, the urgent social problems in Indonesia that need to be solved; and how psychology curriculum in Indonesia could be improved to facilitate social changes
Less than 50% of participants, stated that other people’s life is their main concern in studying psychology. This shows that the bigger picture of the social contribution of psychology is not yet dominating the minds of psychology students, even though the social role of psychology scholars are very much needed, as they gain more media coverage and getting more expansive, for example, being the part of amicus curiae in child marriage law passing [12]
Summary
The issue of injustice and marginalization exist from time to time in any society. there are indicators that the psychology’s care on it needs to be heavily improved as some people say that psychology is not aware that it “serves to maintain systems of oppression” [1] (p. 203-204). A decade ago, Thomas Teo [4] published a book that is well-known in the psychology related field, titled “The Critique of Psychology: From Kant to Postcolonial Theory” In the book, he presented some of the most critical arguments based on historiographical literature to show that the mainstream psychology has dominated the social construction of scientific truth. Without any means of cynicism, some members of the psychology community questioned the association’s action that has not been being carried out towards the other poorest societies in Indonesia, to solve social problems surrounding them. We can explore the belief of the student as academics about the ability of psychology to initiate social change Their belief and efficacy are important because it holds true to their value. This is an explorative study to uncover the social representation of psychology student’s perception towards the role of psychology in creating social changes
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